Feline Immunodeficiency Virus - Everything You Need to Know

By D Swain

As its name suggests, the feline immunodeficiency virus attacks your cat's immune system. It eventually disables the immune system's ability to battle cancers and infections. The feline immunodeficiency virus is usually targets roaming cats. It can also affect larger felines such as tigers, lions and leopards.

Transmission

The feline immunodeficiency virus is shed in saliva. Therefore, it can easily be transmitted to your cat if he is bitten by an infected cat. The virus is rarely transmitted through the mother's milk. However, transmission can occur if the mother is infected with the virus during lactation or gestation.

Symptoms

The feline immunodeficiency virus causes a variety of early symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, lethargy, and weight loss. Many cats also suffer from chronic oral infections. The feline immunodeficiency virus can also cause upper respiratory problems in the form of nasal discharge and sneezing.

Diagnosis

The feline immunodeficiency virus can be detected by testing for antibodies against the disease. The test may take up to 12 weeks before it is able to detect these antibodies. The results are available quickly, usually taking no more than 20 minutes. However, the main test to detect the feline immunodeficiency virus can sometimes render false positives. Therefore, if there is a positive result, it's usually best to confirm the diagnosis with a Western blot assay.

Treatment

Unfortunately, there is no cure for the feline immunodeficiency virus. The main cause of death for cats affected with this virus is from secondary infections. Therefore, you will need to eliminate stress and exposure to other animals so that your cat doesn't get sick. Antibiotics can also be used for the secondary infections. You should also make sure your cat has plenty of fluids and follows a good diet.

Prognosis

The amount of time a cat affected by the feline immunodeficiency virus has left varies widely. Most cats can live for many more years after diagnosis without showing any symptoms. However, a cat diagnosed in an advanced stage of the disease will usually have less than a year remaining.

As a cat owner, you want to keep your special friend as healthy as possible. To learn more about various cat illnesses such as the feline herpes virus, stop by cat-illnesses.com. Your cat will thank you for it.

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Cat Trees - The Perfect Way For Your Cat to Get Rid of Its Excess Energy

By Jennifer Akre

Click, click, click. Click, click, click. This is all you hear when your cat is running up and down the hallway in your home. It's starting to get on your nerves and on top of all the clicking, he's jumping and starting to tear apart your furniture. Now stop and think before you get angry, he's a cat right, and he likes to run jump and play. So, to keep your stress level down and his energy level down, he needs a place to play and instead of your furniture, just turn to cat trees to solve the problem.

Cat trees are great fixtures that offer your cat one fantastic place to just let go. How so? It is because of their design, like the name dictates, it looks like a natural thing that you would find outside and has the same type of shape of a tree with a center cylinder that has limbs sticking out of it. One will generally be crafted out of some sort of wood and then will be covered in a sturdy fabric so it won't break down when your cat is clawing and jumping on it.

If you feel like kind of going over the top with your cat's play area, then not only are cat trees a great option, but you could even invest in a kitty gym. It features the same basic concept of the other one, but it is more of a grand scale piece because it can also have perches and toys built right into it plus ramps, archways, and juxtaposing limbs.

Along with cat trees and kitty gyms, there are also a lot of other cat furniture selections that you could treat your cat to. For instance, if your short on space, but still want your gat to get rid of its aggression, then you can get a scratching post that has sisal rope. Or, if your cat likes to sleep on your bed and you don't feel like sharing anymore, then you can get him a cat bed. These are just a few options too and some of the others include cat perches, cat towers, and cat steps.

Interested in purchasing cat trees or any of the other cat products for your kitty? If so, a great way to check out all the choices is online. That's right, you can do your comparison shopping right at the comfort of your computer and when you come across something you like, you have a way better chance at finding it at a pretty reasonable price compared to what is in the pet store. What you buy will also be sent right to you, which saves you both time and money since you never have to step foot outside your home to get it.

When it comes down to it, if your cat is running wild in your home, you can give him, or her, a great place to take out his or her aggression with cat trees. Get yours today so you can avoid buying new furniture tomorrow.

Author Jennifer Akre is an owner of a wide variety of online specialty shops that offer both items and information on how you can easily furnish and decorate your space. Whether it's your living, bedroom, or even your deck or patio, there are many tips you can use to make those spots both functional and beautiful for your pet. Today, she offers advice on how to create a fabulous spot for your cat using comfy cat furniture, sturdy cat houses, and fun cat trees.

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Cat Facts - Basic, Fun, Facts About Your Pet

By Kate Garvey

Cats are amazing creatures; majestic, comical, ever changing, and diverse. Because of their agility, athleticism, and equipment--claws and teeth, they are considered to be perfect killing machines. Equally true, they are gentle companions who share our lives and household. They love to sit on our laps and be with us but don’t respond to training like a dog. I’ve shared my life with cats since childhood. Here are a few basic facts for anyone interested in this amazing species.

The first thing you’ll notice is that cats sleep a lot. They average 16 hours of sleep per day. When their up, they usually like to play, eat or groom. The amount of daily sleep can vary by cat, circumstance and breed. There are approximately 25-40 known breeds of cats. The largest is a Maine Coon which often weighs in excess of 20 LBs. Other cat breeds average 7-10 LB’s. The lifespan of a cat varies depending on its breed and environment. Outdoor un-neutered male cats have a lifespan of just 4 years regardless of their breed. This is because many of them are hit by cars or infected with terminal illnesses. Indoor cats live much longer than outdoor cats due to lower stress, and lower exposure to disease. The Maine Coon has a short lifespan of approximately 8-10 years, whereas a Siamese often lives up to 20 years. Mixed breed cats typically live 12-18 years, but I’ve had mixed breeds live up to 24 years.

According to pet trainers, cats can be trained, but always keep in mind, the cat will only do what serves the cat’s best interest. The best way to train a cat is by using food when the cat is hungry. Repeat the trick over and over and give a “treat” each time.

The body of a cat is amazing. The eyes are designed to detect the slightest movement. They see well in the dark. Their ears move so they can pick up the faintest sound—this explains why cats hate loud noises and unfamiliar sounds. The spine of a cat is incredibly dexterous, containing approximately 60 vertebrae compared to a humane spine which has approximately 24 vertebras. The tail can reflect a cat’s mood, and is also used for balance. Most cats enjoy when we run our hand down their back and give a slight gentle tug on the tail, near the base of the tail. It gives the cat a little back stretch. The claws are retractable for ease of walking on any surface and extend to climb trees or catch prey. Cats are carnivores and should always eat a high protein diet. They are amazingly resourceful and prolific. A single mother and her first year offspring can produce in excess of 150 cats by the third year. This is why all cats need to be spayed and neutered before sexual maturity (approximately 6 months).

Centuries ago, humans and cats started sharing their environment. We don’t know when this occurred, but most likely our ancestors valued cats for their ability to reduce rodent populations. During the Egyptian era, cats were revered. During the dark ages they were persecuted and wrongfully blamed for the black plague. Today approximately 30 percent of all households share their lives with cats. It’s easy to understand why they are the most popular pet.

For more free pet care or animal welfare tips, visit http://www.PetCareRCA.com Kate Garvery is the founder and director of the Pet Care Resource Center of America. She is also a freelance writer and provides professional writing services for individuals and business owners http://www.kategarvey.net Kate is the author of 3 non-fiction books and more than 40 non-fiction articles.

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